Find that One Reporter that is Not Afraid to Publish the TRUTH

Came across a recent article "Contact 13 Chief Investigator Darcy Spears wins 3 Emmys"

 Link to article: http://www.ktnv.com/community/159614035.html
From this article, here are just a few of the accomplishments:

• Contact 13 Investigates: Foster Care Nightmare
  
  Also, do sign this petition of the Foster Care Giver that was featured in this article: Department of Family Services Do No Harm!
  Note: Might even want to contact Vicki and learn how she "Got the word out"

• Contact 13 Investigates: Foster Care System: Broken beyond repair?

"..Darcy also won an Emmy for a report on school spending, where she revealed that the Clark County School District spent more than $1 million on iPads in six months. Another report focused on school district police buying brand new uniforms, weapons and badges all during a district budget crises..."

• You paid for it: CCSD spends $1 million on iPads

A congratulations needs to go to Darcy for Researching and Exposing the Truth.

I encourage everyone, in their neck of the woods to find that one reporter that may do the same. For example in "Standing in the Shadow of Law",  Chapter 7-News Article Collection, the Author, Marilyn Harrison, shares some of her favorite reporters. Here is an excerpt:

A Collection of some of the articles that describe the many challenges we have when working with the agency.

America’s Children Are at Risk 

Each and every branch of government has checks and balances in place to ensure that our persons in charge have someone to answer to. Someone to keep an eye on them, and keep them as honest as possible.  Why are there no such checks and balances for CPS?

I was sitting in the viewing balcony when I witnessed Arizona Legislator Ray Barnes stand up and say:  “We asked for a report on why D.E.S. (Department of Economic Security which oversees Child Protective Services) needed an additional appropriation of $27 million to get them out of the red.”

To date the Legislators had not received it. He went on to say: “I think it is about time you were made accountable to someone. You are accountable to us.  If we do not have an explanation of how you got yourself into this mess, then we say NO MORE MONEY until we have the explanation in-hand.”

I applauded this gutsy Arizona Legislator for having the courage to stand up to this powerful enemy of We the People.  It is time for this government created entity to be held accountable by We the People. 

If you agree, then write to your Congressman, Legislators, Senators and
let them know how you feel about this out-of-control bureaucracy

To Contents

 
Here is another person(s), you may want to contact, your legislator:
(Following information from:

Standing To Be Heard
Get Your Story Out There For Free
Link: http://nfpcar.org/eBook/Free.htm

•  Contact US Senators.  You can go to this link and write an email directly to them or better yet write a formal letter.  http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm 

• Write your story to your US Congressman:  http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Article on: Contacting Your State Legislator For Help

  Originally Posted: 16 Sep 2007 12:06 PM CDT

Read More: Contact Your Legislator

Goliath comes in many forms~
It is time to stop the devastation to innocent families which is occurring daily across the country.
My Family Rights Affiliation

May you find Strength in Your Higher Power
Granpa Chuck
Keeper of the web files for http://nfpcar.org

The Lighter Side - Thanks for being Crazy

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May you find Strength in Your Higher Power,
Granpa Chuck
Keeper of the web files for http://nfpcar.org

State of Sadness - Great Reference

Here is a Book one may want to add to their Reference Library?? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ State Of Sadness Author:  Stacey Soares (Therapist, Social Worker and Foster Mother) Like this on FaceBook Nonfictional book regarding our foster care system. This story is written about my foster daughter with a shocking conclusion.  It shows what needs to change in the foster care system and how to help these victimized children.  Also includes interviews with other professionals' and their views for change as well as reports and statistics.

Learn More>> http://www.staceysoares.com/id56.html

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Story and Photo By Thomas Atkins

Sonora resident Stacey Soares poses with her book, ”State of Sadness: A Mother’s Fearful Fight to Save Her Foster Daughter.”

Imagine yourself not having a place to call home. Imagine longing for that place, and after finally finding it and settling in and becoming comfortable…it is taken from you – forcing you to move to another place, which you hope to call home. Yet again you are there for only a limited time and find yourself on the move. As this process repeats itself, each move wears you down and you begin to lose hope. Welcome to the world of the hundreds of thousands of foster children scattered across the United States who are trapped in the vicious cycle of the child welfare system, as they are moved from house to house, but never to a home.

In 2005 the AFCARS (United States Department of Health and Human Services) reported that there were 513,000 children within this system, and one report states that 65 percent of foster children have nowhere to live once they “graduate” the system, leaving many of these children on the street. In fact 41 percent of people living in California’s homeless shelters are former foster children. With 51 percent of graduated foster children unemployed, the reality is that far more of these children will end up in prison than in college.

However, as bleak as it may seem…there is hope. Wherever there is love, there is hope, and many loving foster parents have opened their doors to these children, often adopting them as their own. It is through this love and support that these children can avoid becoming like one of the statistics mentioned above. Stacey Soares, previously a social worker, marriage and family therapist, mentor and foster parent, is one who has always had her door open to help children in need – hoping to give them a better life than what the foster care system offers.

Unfortunately, foster parents don’t have too much control in matters concerning their foster children, and the social service system often has the final say. Sadly, Stacey and her foster daughter, Tinea, found this out the hard way, when after two years of living with Stacey social services removed Tinea from her home. (Original link: http://mysierramountaintimes.com/2008/06/state-of-sadness-local-author-reveals-inside-look-at-the-foster-care-system/ )

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Please note since 1974, an agency was created by the Mondale Act. As far as the agency created to manage Our Children, they had two main tasks:

1. Protecting Children;
2. Strengthening Families

  Some may think this is conflict? However, there is one main goal expressed by everyone: 

A child needs to have a family that they can call
Their Family.

  I will let anyone who reads this figure that out.
May you find Strength in Your Higher Power,
Granpa Chuck
Keeper of the web files for http://nfpcar.org

Primary Federal Programs that Support Child Protection

 The following is an excerpt from:
Child Protection at the Crossroads:
Child Abuse, Child Protection, and Recommendations for Reform (03/31/1998)

BY SUSAN ORR, PH.D.
Read More about author. Interesting how Not being "Political Correct" may put your job in jeopardy
(Click on Title to Download pdf file)

When Reading this, ask yourself, Have Things Changed today, the year 2012??
 

Below are monetary figures for 1999 funding, a historical landmark. Column at right is in Millions of $$$$

Table 2: Primary Federal Programs that Support Child Protection
Program	Federal Support	1999 Funding (in millions)
TITLE IV-E (Foster Care) ·         Foster Care Assistance Payments ·         Placement Services & Admin. Costs ·        Training Expenses	Open-ended fed. Match of Medicaid Rate Open-ended fed. Match of 50% Open-ended fed. match of 75%	$3,551 too High
Title IV-E (adoption  assistance) ·         Adoption Asst. Payments ·         Nonrecurring Adoption Expense ·         Placement Services & Admin. Costs ·         Training	Open-ended fed. match of Medicaid Rate Open-ended fed. match of 50% Open-ended fed. match of 50% Open-ended fed. match of 75%	772 too High
Title IV-E (Independent  Living)	100% federal funding with a funding ceiling	$70
Title IV-B (Child Welfare Services) ·         Child Welfare Services ·         Family Preservation/Family Support	Fed match of 75%, capped at state allotment Fed match of 75%, w/ ceiling	$292 $275 Way too Low
CAPTA	100% federal funding of some programs & variable state or local match for others	$68
TITLE XX	100% federal funding, w/ a funding ceiling	$2,500

Information from: Child Protection at the Crossroads:
Child Abuse, Child Protection, and Recommendations for Reform (03/31/1998)
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May you find Strength in Your Higher Power,
Granpa Chuck
Keeper of the web files for http://nfpcar.org

Child Protection at the Crossroads-The Figures

 The following is an excerpt from:
Child Protection at the Crossroads:
Child Abuse, Child Protection, and Recommendations for Reform (03/31/1998)

BY SUSAN ORR, PH.D.
Read More about author. Interesting how Not being "Political Correct" may put your job in jeopardy
(Click on Title to Download pdf file)

When Reading this, ask yourself, Have Things Changed today, the year 2012??

"Although much public attention has focused on the cost of public assistance (the former AFDC program), child welfare is the more expensive governmental activity and the more complicated. In 1995, the federal government spent about $11,698 per child in foster care, whereas it spent only $1,012 for each person receiving welfare benefits. When factoring in state costs, the average cost increases even further to $21,092 per child in foster care versus $2,499 for each person receiving a welfare check.

The United States has had federally mandated child-protection laws for over a quarter of a century. Since these mandates have been in effect, child maltreatment rates have increased tremendously and child- protection agencies’ ability to handle the increase has declined:

 

• When CAPTA was enacted in 1973, child-protection agencies handled about 60,000 reports of abuse and neglect; today they handle 3 million.
• Substantiation rates have plummeted from a high of 61 percent in 1976 to a current low of 31 percent. 
• Early estimates on confirmed abuse and neglect, while far from exact, ranged from 6,500 in 1967 to 360,000 in 1974. 
• In 1997, child-protection agencies confirmed that 963,870 children were abused or neglected by their parents. 
• Around the same time, more than 130,500 children entered foster care bringing the total number of children being taken care of by the state to 520,000 
• Less than 20 percent of all substantiated cases of child maltreatment go to criminal or civil court. 
• Most children can remain home safely, even after a substantiated incident. Fewer than 20 percent of the three million children investigated are in sufficient danger that they have to be removed from their family."

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We must all keep in mind that the 2 goals of the agency are:

• Protecting Children
• Strengthening Families

________________

May you find Strength in Your Higher Power,
Granpa Chuck
Keeper of the web files for http://nfpcar.org